Mika Špiljak (Odra, near Sisak, 28 November 1916 – Zagreb, 18 May 2007) was the participant of the People’s Liberation Fight, social-political activist of the SFRY and Federal Republic of Croatia, a hero of the socialist work and national hero of Yugoslavia.

 

He was the President of the Presidency of the SFRY from 15 May 1983 to 15 May 1984.

 

People’s Liberation War

 

Following the occupation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in April 1941, Mika was one of the organizers of the uprising in Sisak region. When the Nazi German attacked Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, Mika was in the first group of communists who left the town where they established the Sisak partisan unit, the first partisan unit in Croatia.

 

Career after the War

 

After the liberation of Yugoslavia, Mika was the Secretary of the People’s Front for the City of Zagreb, and the Mayor of Zagreb from 1949 to 1950. Great influence on the life of Croatia’s capital enabled him to rise in the political structures of the People’s Republic of Croatia, so that from 1963 to 1967 he was the President of the Executive Council of the Parliament of Federal Republic of Croatia, in other words then Croatian Government.

 

 

After the dismissal of Aleksandar Ranković, he goes to Belgrade and takes over a series of federal functions. First, he was the President of the Federal Executive Council, that is the Federal Government, from 16 May 1967 until 18 May 1969. AS the President of the People’s Council of the Assembly of the SFRY he proclaimed and signed the Constitution of the SFRY in 1974 (21 February). At the end of 1970s he takes on the important position as the President of the Council of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Yugoslavia.

 

He died on 18 May 2007 in Zagreb and was buried on Zagreb cemetery “Mirogoj”.

 

Decorations

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He is the bearer of the Commemorative Medal of the Partisans of 1941 and other foreign and Yugoslav decorations, including – Order of the Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of National Liberation, Order of Merit for the Nation with Golden Star, etc. He was decorated with the Order of the National Hero of Yugoslavia on 29 November 1953.